Fuerteventura to launch open guide to the island’s health and social care resources in October

Fuerteventura Island Council plans to present a new guide to health and social care resources in October. Designed as an open, updateable tool, it will make it easier for the public to access services available on the island.

The announcement was made by Víctor Alonso, Councillor for Social Welfare, Citizen Participation and Open Government. He explained that the guide would bring together information from different fields and allow new resources to be added as associations, groups and organisations are set up.

“It will be an open guide; it won’t be a closed one,” Alonso stressed. It is expected to be presented towards the end of October.

The Island Council aims to bring together information on health and social care resources, as well as other services that may be useful to the public, including social care centres, the hospital, the court and organisations within the social sector.

The aim, the councillor explained, is to make it easier for people to find out which resource to turn to for their needs.

The guide draws on work previously carried out by the Island Council’s social services department, alongside contributions developed through Citizen Participation. Alonso said the institution had already compiled some of the resources, while others had been gathered through participatory processes.

The guide is intended to remain open so that it does not become outdated after publication. Alonso said associations or groups that are not initially included, or that are established after the guide is presented, will be able to be added later.

The tool is also being developed in collaboration with social organisations and the island’s town councils, with the aim of providing a more complete picture of the resources available across Fuerteventura.

Island Council scores 9.4 for transparency

Speaking on La Voz de Fuerteventura, the councillor also reported that the Island Council had scored 9.4 for transparency, “close to the target of 10 we had set ourselves”, Alonso acknowledged.

Alongside the improved score, the number of requests for access to public information has also risen in recent years. The Island Council has gone from receiving around 30 enquiries a year to more than 50 at present.

The requests, he said, cover case files, invoices, projects, human resources, social services and information on the awarding of certain contracts.

Once a request is received, the legal department reviews what information can be provided and then passes it to the relevant department to respond to the member of the public.

Alonso acknowledged that there are still areas to improve to achieve the highest transparency rating. He pointed to possible delays and case files not answered within the established time limits as factors that may affect the score.